VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Forest and Environment Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy has directed the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) officials to initiate measures for effective disposal of biomedical waste through waste treatment plants.
Holding a review meeting on Thursday, he said a total of 13,728 hospitals with 1,68,255 beds are being operated in the State and as per the 2021 annual report, as much as 7,197 tonnes of biomedical waste is generated per year.
To scientifically dispose of the bio-medical waste, it is being sent to biomedical waste treatment plants. There are 12 such plants across the State. Bio-medical waste from the hospital has to be sent to the waste treatment plants within 48 hours. The officials should follow the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in disposal of biomedical waste, he said.
As the number of hospitals and the bed strength is going to increase in the coming days, there is a need for new biomedical waste treatment plants.
The APPCB should issue permissions for setting up new waste treatment plants if applicants are found to be eligible. “There should not be any compromise in disposing hazardous waste and top priority should be given to public health,” he stressed.
APPCB Chairman Sameer Sharma, Special Chief Secretary (Environment) Neerab Kumar Prasad, member secretary B Sridhar, senior environmental engineer (biomedical) KAS Krishna and other officials attended the review meeting.